A 66-year-old doctor in Surat has allegedly lost Rs 1.5 crore to cyber fraudsters who posed as insurance and ombudsman officials, promising to help him recover investments linked to his late father.
According to a complaint filed with the Surat Cyber Crime Police, the alleged fraud began in 2018 and continued until March 2026.
The doctor, who runs a clinic in the city, was initially approached by individuals claiming to be associated with the insurance ombudsman. They allegedly told him that his late father’s old mutual fund investments could be recovered after completing certain formalities.
The accused then persuaded him to purchase insurance policies by paying one-time premiums. He eventually received 12 policies from companies, including HDFC Life, IndiaFirst Life and Bharti AXA.
However, after issuing the policies, the fraudsters allegedly began demanding additional payments under various pretexts.
In 2023, the doctor approached the insurance ombudsman regarding the matter but claimed he received no response. Soon afterwards, he received another call from a person posing as an ombudsman official, who assured him that the money could still be recovered if he cleared the pending charges.
Over the next three years, the doctor allegedly made repeated payments towards purported premium dues, GST, RBI clearance certificates and other charges. Police said he transferred a total of Rs 1.5 crore to various bank accounts between 2023 and 2026.
The alleged fraud continued until March 2026, when the callers reportedly threatened him with an Enforcement Directorate inquiry if he failed to make another payment.
Realising that he may have been cheated, the doctor contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930. A complaint was subsequently filed with the Surat Cyber Crime Police.
